Each commentary on this list comes from reviews I wrote on Rateyourmusic as this is naturally a more subjective list of mine compared to most other lists on this site.
While even I can admit that this album has problems (all of which can be attributed to a certain substance Elton was using at the time) I have to admit that I do have a soft spot for this album even if it goes in some strange directions during its runtime.
The biggest problem is the production on the upbeat tracks, I never had an issue with the production on his previous efforts, however it's clear that he wanted to trade in his melodies that he would compose for his previous albums in favour of sounding like his contemporaries. Although he does have the occasional ballad on here that he clearly composed for himself (the big hit "Nikita" being an obvious example) the album is mostly a product of its time which is why it isn't very fondly remembered nowadays.
I get the feeling the only reason why I like this album is because I'm a huge sucker for the 80's when it comes to music, were it not for that, I would likely rate this more negatively as it doesn't seem to have as much of Elton's charm as his previous efforts do.
Hit singles
Act of war
Nikita
Wrap her up
While I can see this being Elton John's least favourite album in his catalogue, I have to say that in some ways, this is an improvement on his previous album Ice on fire if only because the production isn't as dated here as it is on that album. It's 80's fluff sure, but it's still leagues better than most of the songs from the time that's long been forgotten by even diehard 80's afficionados.
For me, the biggest problem with this album is that it seems like a rehash of all of his earlier work, the production stemming from his (then) most recent albums whilst the lyrics and melodies coming from his earlier works which makes this feel more like an album made out of obligation than anything else. It's essentially Elton on autopilot which while isn't the worst thing in the world, is certainly a bit of a disappointment which is why most of his fans consider this to be his worst work.
Much like his last album, I'd agree that this is his worst work were it not for the fact that I'm a huge sucker for 80's music in general, and like I said, the mixing on this album is much better than on Ice on fire which I feel makes it a better album overall even if Elton himself would disagree.
Hit singles
Heartache all over the world
Slow rivers
This album feels like a weak follow up to Captain fantastic much like how many feel that Caribou was a weak follow up to Goodbye yellow brick road, this is mainly due to this album feeling far less personal than his previous effort as well as the lyrical quality overall slipping on this album compared to his previous efforts.
That said, apart from having a questionable lead single (even for its time) this is still an above average album as Elton decides to incorporate funk onto this album likely to remain hip with the times, this makes it less timeless compared to his earlier work, however it's still far ahead of the competition.
Hit singles
Island girl
Grow some funk of your own
Much like the other albums he made without Bernie Taupin, this is more dated compared to the rest of Elton's catalogue as he is clearly going for that soft rock crowd with this release. While this does mean that this has a more niche audience compared to the rest of his catalogue, I have to say that this is still a top-notch release from Elton considering he was coming off a terrible disco album from the previous year. It's far from his best sure, but still worthy of your time.
Hit singles
Little Jeannie
This is the second double album to come from Elton John, the first being the flawless Goodbye yellow brick road from several years prior. While that album didn't feel as long as it was, the same can't be said for this album as I feel the first half of the album kind of drags as opposed to the second half which is where Elton and Bernie truly shine on this release.
This is the duo's final collaboration together until their 1983 effort Too low for zero, here they decide to incorporate prog elements which results in several instrumentals on the album. This isn't new territory for them as their last album opened up with a medley akin to a prog track, although they definitely hit the nail on the head with this release given how much better the sound works on the album.
It's another worthy entry into Elton's catalogue, not quite as strong as his previous efforts, but far better than what's to come after.
Hit singles
Sorry seems to be the hardest word
Although the magic of Bernie Taupin is lacking on this album, I have to say that Elton John did manage to make a decent album without him on this release due to finding a decent replacement with Gary Osborne who wrote him some adequate lyrics for him to sing along with his still stellar melodies. It's also a bit obvious it was recorded in the late 70's which does make it more dated than his earlier work, however it has its charm and thus more than worthy of your time.
Hit singles
Part time love
Song for guy
While I do enjoy this album overall from Elton John, I may be a bit kind in giving this a 4/5 as it does contain by far his worst song "Passengers." I'm sorry but this song is annoying and is a perfect summary of all of Elton's worst traits as an artist from its repetitive and meaningless lyrics to its Jamaican influence.
Fortunately, the rest of the album is solid enough, although like his previous two efforts, I doubt people who feel the 80's is overrated is going to enjoy this as you can tell it was made in that decade. It's admittedly a bit of a step back from Too low for zero, however not enough that it's worse than Jump up even with that blunder of a second single. The ballads are heartfelt whilst the upbeat tracks are fun and catchy.
Hit singles
Sad songs
Passengers
Who wears these shoes
The Lion King is one of the first films I remember seeing in my lifetime, so naturally, this soundtrack is always going to have a special place in my heart regardless of its technical quality. Fortunately, the soundtrack holds up on a technical level thanks to arguably one of the best scores of all time from Hans Zimmer as well as catchy songs from the cast written by Tim Rice and the one and only Elton John.
As for the songs performed by the rock legend, I feel like these were originally meant for his (then) most recent album The one but cut for this project when Disney hired him to compose the melodies for the soundtrack due to how well these songs would otherwise work on that album. Of course, this isn't an airtight theory since the lyrics didn't come from Bernie Taupin however the fact that one of these tracks won him an Oscar does bring some validity to my theory.
It's an above average soundtrack to a flawless movie that still holds up to this day even with the film receiving accusations of it being a rip-off of Kimbra the white lion and it being made by fundamentally one of the worst companies in Hollywood even at the time. Check this out if you're a fan of Elton John, 2d animation or if you want to relive your childhood.
Hit singles
Can you feel the love tonight
Circle of life
While I'll admit that the 80's production on this album in particular does make this more dated than most of his work even throughout this decade, I have to admit that I'm a huge sucker for synthesisers which is why I find myself enjoying this album even if it has more issues with it than most of his work.
I guess the biggest issue I have is that while the more upbeat tracks are a ton of fun, the ballads do suffer somewhat due to the production making them less personal than what they would've been had they been recorded throughout the 70's. I'll also say that the lyrics aren't quite as good on here as his back catalogue, although they're still far from the worst that the early 80's have to offer.
I say give this album a go provided you're a fan of 80's music, it's not on the same level as his 70's output, but it's far better than most of what's to come.
Hit singles
Blue eyes
Empty garden
You'd think that by this point Elton John would be past his prime, this album suggests otherwise as he continued to impress audiences with how well he was able to adapt with the times. Much like his previous two albums, this feels like something he could've released in the 70's but gave it slick production akin to the late 80's and early 90's to have it be a contemporary of albums released around this time.
If you've read my other reviews throughout his discography, you'll know that I've struggled to come up with new ways to heap my praise on his music, the melodies are as strong as always on here as are Elton's vocals and Bernie's lyrics. It's one more great album from a career of highlights even if it would all be downhill from here without a recovery point (save for the Lion king soundtrack of course.)
Hit singles
The one
The last song
This was a bit of a return to form of sorts given how there was much more emphasis on Elton's vocals and Bernie lyrics on this album compared to the previous two albums which were both drenched in 80's production that only an 80's afficionado like myself could enjoy. This honestly feels like an album that could've been made in the 70's when it comes to the melodies and the songwriting but is still distinctly 80's with its production given how there's still plenty of emphasis on synthesisers and drum machines.
While his true comeback wouldn't come until his next album Sleeping with the past, this was still a step in the right direction as I can see more people enjoying this nowadays compared to his previous two albums which definitely have a nice market for modern audiences.
Hit singles
I don't want to go on with you like that
While this wasn't the first album that Elton John released, it was the first album of his where he found any sort of success and rightfully so because it has to be one of the most sentimental albums to come out during the first half of the decade. This is mainly because of how heartfelt the lyrics are which compliment his vocals extremely well whilst set to some wonderous baroque pop instrumentation to help sell the sentiment.
While his later material would be even better (due to better lyricism from Bernie Taupin) I have to say that this is a strong first impression to a career that does have its ups and down but overall has given us at this point fifty years' worth of classics. Check it out if you haven't already.
Hit singles
Your song
While his previous album stated that he was back bigger than ever, this was the album that signified the return of Elton John given that it was a massive commercial success for him. I have to say that apart from the lyrics being sharper and it being clearly influenced by blues music, there's not much difference between this and Elton's previous album which makes me wonder why this was so much more successful than his previous effort back in the day (or more specifically, why that album wasn't even bigger like this was.)
Much like Reg strikes back, this feels like something Elton could've made a decade prior but was given some slicker production to help it stand out from his 70's work. This is impressive given how this was made after he had his polyps removed which prevented him from singing like he did earlier in his career, proving that although he had to change his vocal style, he was still just as impressive a vocalist at this point in his career as he was from when he first broke through.
It's far from his best, however most artists can only dream of releasing something this good. I highly recommend checking this out if you haven't already.
Hit singles
Healing hands
Sacrifice
Club at the end of the street
This is another great album to come from Elton John's peak period, it has much more personal lyrics compared to his previous efforts (culminating with its single "Someone saved my life tonight") which help give his audience an insight into his personal life at the time (or at least as much insight as he was comfortable with sharing.)
The melodies are as strong as ever as are his vocals, two elements that would begin to deteriorate as the decade went on due to burnout from making a string of classic albums. That would obviously come later as for now, this is another masterpiece from one of the greatest musicians of all time.
Hit singles
Someone saved my life tonight
While I can see how people feel this is a step back from Goodbye yellow brick road, I have to say that this is still a solid entry into Elton John's early career even if it does feel more dated to the 70's than his other work. Here he experiments more with his sound by incorporating country elements on some of the tracks in addition to the glam and prog that he toyed with on his previous album which I feel yields excellent results.
It's an underrated album mainly because many people feel it doesn't live up to the standards set up by his previous work, while that's technically true, Elton having an off day during this period is infinitely better than what most would put out these days (and admittedly what he would put out during his true low points in his career.)
Hit singles
Don't let the sun go down on me
The bitch is back
While his self-titled album was what rightfully put him on the map, this was the album where Elton John and his partner in crime Bernie Taupin perfected their formula in having the former beautifully sing the lyrics of the latter over melodies that have aged like fine wine in the decades since this albums release.
Their breakthrough was excellent, however like most breakthrough albums, there was room for improvement, this isn't the case here and with their subsequent albums, making this the perfect introduction to their work if you're looking for an entry point into their vast catalogue.
Hit singles
Country comfort
This is another perfect album from Elton John and Bernie Taupin from the first half of the 70's, it was very underrated for its time but has rightfully become one of their staples over the years thanks to the popularity of its opening track and only single in pop culture. I wish I could say something about this album that hasn't been said a thousand times before, but everything from the melodies to the lyrics to Elton's comforting vocals has been brought up when praising this album and indeed his 70's catalogue, so it would be redundant for me to highlight that on here.
Hit singles
Tiny dancer (retrospectively)
While his self-titled breakthrough album was an impressive first impression to audiences, it remains a bit rough around the edges if only due to both Elton and Bernie testing out what they have to offer in the world of music on that album. Starting with this album, their partnership would be flawless as they combine their talents to craft a timeless record that only continues to inspire listeners even after all of these years since its initial release.
The true strength of this album is once again the lyrics which are a bit more fun than their previous material in addition to being more poignant on the ballads, sure some of them can be taken the wrong way (particularly on the third track) however these songs are far better written than most that are released these days.
Hit singles
Rocket man
Honky cat
We have another masterpiece from Elton John's catalogue, this being his first million selling album thanks to the singles connecting well with audiences better than anything he had released prior. While the sentimental tracks remain as poignant as ever, this album really shines with the fun tracks (particularly the lead single) which helped him and Bernie establish themselves as a fun pop duo that can cater to both the masses and the music snobs of their era.
There's not much I can say about this album that hasn't already been said, it's a fantastic album from easily my favourite artist from the pre disco era.
Hit singles
Crocodile rock
Daniel
While I can see this being a turnoff for those who think the 80's are completely overrated thanks to its production being indicative of the times, I have to say that the production holds up extremely well on this album (certainly better than most albums of this era) and manages to highlight the strengths of these songs as opposed to hinder them like it did on Elton's previous album.
That said, the real triumph on here is the return of Bernie Taupin as the main lyricist, not only that, but he appears to have written them with a theme of coming back stronger than ever, making this album a comeback of sorts despite Elton doing just fine commercially without the team up. Like I said, this album takes the formula from Jump up and perfects it with having slick production paired with Elton's warm vocals and strong lyrics to make both the ballads and upbeat tracks be emotional and fun at the same time.
Hit singles
I'm still standing
I guess that's why they call it the blues
Crystal
Kiss the bride
This is hands down Elton John's best album bar none, the writing is at its best on this album as are the melodies which is impressive considering this is the first album where Elton and Bernie experiment with their sound as they toy around with glam, prog and even reggae at one point (said track is naturally the weakest on the album.)
Whether it's his tribute to Marilyn Monroe, him sharing his nostalgia for the Wizard of oz or writing an anthem for a bar brawl, there's plenty Bernie has to offer us in the lyrics department which Elton expertly delivers with his warm vocals and his timeless compositions on the album. This is to be expected given that it's a double album, however it's one of those albums that's over before you know it unlike most other double albums.
Check it out if you haven't already, it's the perfect gateway into both Elton's music and Bernie's songwriting if you're looking for an entry point into their vast catalogue.
Hit singles
Saturday night's alright for fighting
Goodbye yellow brick road
Candle in the wind
Bennie and the jets
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